


Up on the housetop

by sunsetseas77



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Healing, Kara watching out for Lena, Working things out, glimpse of sharing a bed, late or post S5, mention of other superfriends, reconnecting, recreational drug mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-17 00:47:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21257252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetseas77/pseuds/sunsetseas77
Summary: When AIs have finished imploding and virtual realities have been revealed and secrets are no longer emerging and earths are no longer merging, they try to have a casual evening.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 15
Kudos: 140





	Up on the housetop

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve seen the season premiere and wanted to write them past whatever is coming this season. I’m behind on other episodes. I have no idea what Crisis brings. It’s acknowledged barely because of the timeframe, but no impacts are talked about in this story.

Lena’s been quiet. Not too quiet, but quiet. Kara’s used to her being more engaged, boisterous even, when the group gathers to socialize. But, Kara reminds herself, that was before. They haven’t relaxed in quite this way since before Lex re-appeared in the got-out-of-jail world with his destructive manipulation and his plan for world domination and Red Daughter as a tool in service to both. Since before revelations stressed relationships in ways that almost broke them, that they struggled to come back from. Before worlds spun into something new. 

She knows how long, it’s easy enough to calculate. It still startles her when her brain flashes to the fact it’s been well over a year since they’ve been together like this.

And thinking about it further, Kara remembers that in the past Lena tended to be at these with a drink in hand, the familiar prop of her adult life not the healthiest choice but something she would carefully use as a shield or to ease tension, smoothing anxiety borne from years of being evaluated and graded when interacting this way. Not only is this all different given what they’ve gone through since the last – was it a game night? - but also, she hasn’t seen Lena sipping on anything other than the sparkling water sitting next to her over the past hour. Maybe that’s a factor in a possible retreat from the group dynamic. Though Kara isn’t convinced that her friend’s completely present.

Lena’s sat relaxed since she returned to the roof over an hour ago, stretched out in a chair with a seat that hangs so low her butt almost hits the composite shingles. Her head leans against its back, loose, dark hair falling downward and green eyes skyward. They’ve been both open and closed when Kara has sneaked peeks at her. She’s snuggled down into a thick, cowl-neck grey sweater that Kara knows is so soft and is sure that Lena bought a size too big for this sort of occasion: to burrow into while hanging with friends on an early evening with the tangible feel of fall in the air before heading out on the town. With the shadows lengthening they’ll soon be on their way.

James’ return from an extended time in Europe was the impetus for them gathering, all but J’onn available to welcome him back. Brainy, Nia, and Kara had looked for a way to make it a long weekend, something each of them could justify taking with how hectic their lives had been. When they’d found a Metropolis Monarchs game on Friday evening, Lena had offered the L Corp box and an L Corp jet out; she had meetings at the Metropolis office on next week’s schedule so she and a few tag-alongs flying east really wasn’t a frivolous or extra expense. The Monarchs tanking record meant no one was scheduled to use the box to woo or impress business associates during these final games of the season. Kelly’s possession of James’ spare key gave them all a place to stay on their first night in town.

A few feet away from Lena’s chair, Kara’s lounging on a red stadium blanket. She’s warm enough with her Kryptonian physiology, but she likes the feel of pulling both the bright blue fleece jacket tighter around her and her cream-colored beanie down further on her head as it gets later. Just at the edge of the blanket sits what she’s been sipping, a concoction Nia brought made from fermented fruit native to Naltor and cultured in Parthas. It provides a low-level buzz, nowhere near as potent as some others she’s tried. She’s at ease but vigilant, the latter a habit that’s hard to break. Part of that vigilance is definitely focused on Lena.

The section of James’ roof they’re clustered on has a gentle pitch. Just slightly above and behind her Nia sits on a tripod stool in a very puffy, deep purple jacket with a fringed hood. When hassled about her ‘parka’, she claimed her upbringing in a mild climate means she isn’t used to such temperatures in September. Alex and Kelly are shoulder to shoulder sitting on a wool blanket next to her, a green throw shared between them. They seem to be using it mostly to cinch themselves closer together. Alex wears Kelly’s Metropolis Monarch’s cap perched backwards on her head.

Kara’s allowed herself to get pulled into giving an opinion on their hot topic of the moment a few times – they’re currently discussing the history of kaiju - but she’s been maintaining a certain separation that Alex seems to recognize, acknowledging her sister’s contribution and silently letting her go back to keeping an eye on her friend. 

An opinion on the physics of monster flight from Kara is being met with a round of dubious looks when Nia checks her phone. “Hey, we need to get moving.”

“Yes, we do,” Kelly agrees, seeing the time. “And I want to check in with James before he’s airborne.”

“When does he get in tomorrow?” Nia asks.

“His flight lands at 11:00.”

“We should get him and go to lunch,” Alex suggests.

Movement off to her side distracts Kara from their discussion of tomorrow morning. She swivels her head to find Lena pivoted forward to pick up her cup. Her eyes move questioningly to it as she brings it towards her, perplexed how it could be empty. She goes so far as to tip it and frowns. 

Kara watches her rise and, quicker than she expected, Lena is almost to the edge of the roof, off-balance as she turns back as if to say something.

Kara’s arm snakes around her waist, fast but gentle, her speed getting her to Lena in time to safely halt her progress. “Where you going, babe?”

The outward pressure on Kara’s forearm from Lena’s ribs shifts away as she straightens. Kara just stops her free hand shooting to her mouth – she can’t put back the endearment.

Lena considers her with mildly bloodshot eyes, head tilted to the side. She holds up her cup. “Refill. What did you just call me?”

Kara has a nervous look around to see who might be in the audience. Brainy’s head has popped over the top of the roof where the ladder leans, drawing Nia and Kelly’s attention.

Alex is a different story. The index finger on her left hand hovers just under her nose with two fingers trailing casually over her lips. Except closer inspection would discover they’re pushing down on her mouth enough to keep in the laughter. Kara notices the just perceptible tremors, but the look in Alex’s eye tells her she’s not the one Alex is making the effort for. Her gaze shifts to Lena and then darts back to Kara before she can be caught looking.

Raw, difficult emotions still linger between Kara and Lena, often around unexpected topics. They’ve done so much talking, working on forgiveness and understanding in ways that weren’t done initially with the reveal of Kara’s identity, a time lag that compounded the damage between them. They’ve drastically lessened the friction and hurt, and Kara can mark progress with how Lena accepted their invitation without hesitation. But there are still moments, because they haven’t resolved everything.

Lena’s uses for VR and AI had stunned Kara when details started to come out. She knew trust wasn’t simple between them. Lena’s history with deception complicated her side of it. And then Kara as a best friend with a secret, alien identity that had history with the Luthor family added on. But Kara had willfully and naively led herself to believe that trust could be simple after Lena seemed to accept her revelation, and that had continued them on a tortured path that Lex started them down with his dying breaths.

In this healthier, more realistic reconnection process they’re going through, Kara is letting Lena disclose to her what happened as she chooses. Sometimes it’s so difficult to hear, the reality of how isolated and in pain her friend felt, how alone, how angry. And it can draw out from Kara incredulity, frustration, and anger over how things played out, over how Lena could react the way she did. But they’re both learning, and Kara has seen enough in the last few months to get a sense of these parts of Lena’s psyche – she can handle hearing about them if it helps Lena, and their relationship, and when she’s feeling inclusive herself, heal. Sometimes, though, she wishes it would move faster, so she would know Lena’s flash points that currently get discovered by direct contact. At which point they become very apparent, at least to Kara.

Alex has seen a few of those moments too. She’s been a steady witness to the diligent, challenging work to close their rift. She’s also shared her other observations with Kara, pointing out the ways she finds the two of them both ridiculous and charming in whatever has been going on between them that goes beyond the work on their friendship. Disregard for Kara’s blushes or sputtered responses that aren’t getting any smoother and her pledge of non-intrusive support are included with her insights. And for now, while Alex knows that Kara will tolerate reactions like her current one, she also recognizes that Lena could be pricklier. Kara appreciates her sister’s discretion even if the amusement is at her own expense.

“Uhhh, babe,” Kara answers, head turned back to Lena, tone driving rapidly past timid to neutral. She’s not ashamed of what she said, but the timing may not be optimal. Alex isn’t wrong about the undercurrent that’s runs between her and Lena, even if Kara won’t give her sister the satisfaction of admitting it. She just doesn’t want to derail their forward momentum with what could be interpreted as a casual term of affection. Regardless of how her subconscious mind may have meant it.

Pursing her lips, Lena scans Kara up and down as if searching for the answer to an unspoken question. Her mouth makes subtle squinching movement as if she’s checking that all parts are present while her mind chews on Kara’s answer. 

“Weird,” she finally settles on, seeming to have given up on further thinking. 

Kara’s relief is mixed with a hint of sadness over Lena’s almost non-reaction to her words. _How can you be sad_, she chides herself about the feeling, _Two seconds ago you hoped she wouldn’t notice._

Lena, oblivious to Kara’s internal monologue, turns back the way she was headed before being corralled and leans. Or at least tries to. She still hasn’t looked down to recognize her position.

“Why won’t you let me move?”

“Because you’re about to drop 15 feet into James’ shrubbery.”

Lena’s head finally tilts down and her eyes widen. “Huh. I didn’t notice that.”

She turns around, Kara keeping her waist encircled. Her eyes are a little unfocused as she gives Kara a high-voltage smile for the save. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” Kara returns the smile.

She steps to the side with her hand sliding to Lena’s back. She guides her into her chair that Kara’s hooked with her foot and dragged closer to her blanket – for safety.

Settling back down, Lena glances sadly at the bowl of trail mix and little bag of chips that Kara had brought her shortly before. They sit alone with the change in chair location. The fact both are now empty seems to be the problem. A wider perusal of the roof finds no food in sight. 

“I’m snacky,” Lena declares. “I wonder if there are any more brownies.”

“What brownies?” Kara asks, preoccupied with scanning the immediate area to identify other possible ways for Lena to get injured in the unobservant condition she’s in.

“Did you say brownies?” Brainy asks, appearing next to them.

“Yes,” Lena replies brightly, looking up at him. “Did you make them? The one I had was amazing.”

Brainy watches Lena closely. She tries looking intensely back at him for several seconds before breaking eye contact. 

“Hmmmm.”

“What is it?” Kara zeroes in on Brainy.

“They got left out,” Brainy says slowly, as if he’s realized something.

“I just tossed them in the communal food pile when we got here,” Nia says, stepping up next to Brainy. “I didn’t know what they were.”

“I know. I hadn’t told you,” Brainy affirms. “I put them away as soon as I saw them. They weren’t out long…” His eyes crinkle. “I didn’t pay attention to the number though.”

“Sorry,” Lena says with a giggle. “I had a chocolate craving.” Her confession out she sinks lower into her chair, her eyes fixed on something in the distance.

“You’re kidding” Alex remarks.

“Nope,” Nia responds.

“Why would you have those?” Kara asks Brainy. She looks over to Lena who seems uninterested in the conversation, a bemused quirk to her lips.

“I’ve been mapping my neural pathways after exposure to various substances. We didn’t have them or good data on them in the 31st century so I’m looking at predicted - based on what we knew - vs, actual effects now that I can access them. I am following a protocol and can’t skip days.” Brainy explains, resolute. “I’d have to start over. It’s partly an exercise to provide insight on addiction.”

“So, they’re for scientific purposes?” Kelly ventures. 

Brainy rounds on her and points emphatically. “Yes.”

“Partly?” Kara pushes.

Brainy shrugs. “I am also curious.”

Kara shakes her head at the situation. Yes, these are her friends and sometimes it seems that they can’t just have an ordinary evening. She already knows what she needs to do.

“What about an intoxicated 12th-level intellect?” Kelly sounds worried.

“I have 1,541 safeguards in place along with control over when and where. The goal is neurological information, not intoxication. The dosages are relatively low because I don’t need much to collect the desired data and they shouldn’t compromise me.” Brainy looks to Lena who waves as if maybe she is listening to some of this but then she turns away again.

Brainy gives Kara an apologetic look. “I’m sorry I wasn’t more careful.”

She nods in acknowledgement with a motion to Lena to indicate he’ll need to repeat that at a later time.

“Okay,” Alex cuts in, “how potent are they? For a human?”

“It will wear off in three to four hours,” Brainy informs them. “I think she got into them just over an hour ago.”

“We’re leaving in a matter of minutes to catch the light rail. She just tried to wander off a roof,” Alex points out.

“I’ll stay with her,” Kara states, soft yet firm. “You all should head to the game.”

After some concerned glances at Lena, a murmured ‘Are you sure’, and a few hushed words from Kara that she doesn’t mind at all, Brainy, Nia, Kelly, and Alex gather up their belongings and make their way down the ladder. Kelly is the last to disappear over the roof edge. She shoots a fond look between Kara and Lena followed by a tip of her head, then descends. 

Before Kara can turn away, she hears a whistle below followed by incoming objects. She grabs a box of protein bars, a bag of chips, and a bottle of juice out of the air in quick succession.

“Thank you,” she calls out low to whomever was paying attention to Lena’s earlier comment. She lies back then, sustenance beside her and thoughts on their friends’ care fueling an inner warmth.

Turning her head to Lena, she finds her checked back in and taking some sort of awkward lunge fall out of her chair towards her. Lena proceeds to crawl across the short separation between them under Kara’s watchful gaze.

Reaching Kara, she emits a relieved, high-pitched sound. Her head slumps on the edge of the blanket that Kara has rolled for head and neck support, her arm inches from Kara’s and her eyes on the changing sky above.

“Hi,” she says cheerfully.

“Hi.” Kara can’t keep the grin from breaking across her face from both the happiness in Lena’s voice and her proximity. She tears open the bag of chips and hands them over along with the juice.

“Oh, yea,” Lena says, putting the bottle beside her before placing the bag sideways on her stomach and digging into it.

After demolishing a few, she holds the open bag towards Kara. “So, I’m impaired.”

“A little bit,” Kara agrees, shaking her head at the offer.

“Did I say something wrong?” Lena pulls the bag back.

“What do you mean?” Kara turns her head to get a view of Lena.

“Suddenly they were all gone.” Lena flaps her hand vaguely towards where their four friends were no longer before fishing out more chips.

“They went to the game. You seemed so comfortable, they didn’t want to disturb you.” 

“Weren’t we supposed to go with them?” Lena starts to lift herself up, looking mildly alarmed, before she abandons the effort and plops back down.

“Yeah, but I think it would be better for you if we stayed here.”

“It was two drinks.” Kara sees the memory cross her face. “Oh, right. And the brownie Brainy was blathering about. There was a reason I was having a college flashback.”

“Yeah.” Kara makes a massive effort not to beam like an idiot at how adorable Lena is like this, full of free expression. She wants to get them back to where their time is more of these interactions, but without accidental ingestion of psychoactive baked goods.

Lena’s face scrunches and then relaxes. “The game’s no great loss, I guess. The Monarchs suck this year.”

“Yes, they do.”

“You could have gone.” Lena, finished with her snack, stuffs the empty bag in Kara’s jacket pocket and looks as squarely as she can at Kara.

Kara doesn’t contradict her to say that she really couldn’t, given Lena’s state. She doesn’t want Lena to think she’s a burden. She’s not a burden to Kara. “I wanted to stay.”

A moment stretches between them before Lena looks away and quietly responds, “That’s alright then.” 

Kara feels Lena’s hand find hers and wrap around it as she gives a contented sigh.

They both have their eyes on the heavens, contemplating pink and light yellow and orange being chased over the horizon by darker blues and greys.

Lena pulls her hand away only long enough to twist open the bottle so she can sip it as the stars bright enough to shine through Metropolis’ light start to wink into view.

The chill increases during their silent study and Kara covers them with the throw Kelly and Alex had forgotten next to her blanket. Lena gets caught up in getting it perfectly situated over them. The action breaks their reverie.

“What did it look like?” Lena whispers after she’s finished messing with the corners and is back alongside Kara clasping her hand.

“What?” Kara responds, matching Lena’s volume.

“Your sky. Or the sky of another planet if Krypton is painful.”

“Talking to you about it isn’t,” Kara assures her. She starts with the most obvious striking feature to a native of Earth, “Krypton’s sky could be many colors, but most were varieties of red – colors you’d call crimson, rust, burnt sienna. Rao’s light was so beautiful.”

She tells Lena about skies without birds but with robots and people in vehicles traversing them, shiny and sleek, about spires slicing through them in the cities, about how she loved the light at sunset, details galore to share while hoping her narrative conveys the proper visuals. Lena vacillates between watching her and staring upwards into growing darkness as if imagining.

“I’ve painted it,” Kara concludes. “I could probably explain it better with one of my pieces for reference.”

“I’d like that. But don’t sell yourself short on creating a picture. You have a way with words,” Lena says, affection and gratitude clear in her lilting voice.

The edges of Kara’s lips lift at Lena using one of the first compliments she ever paid Kara.

They settle into a companionable silence again, though one of shorter duration. 

Lena pipes up for the second time, her voice a strange mix of sure and uncertain. Like she’s thought probably slowly but really hard about what she’s going to say and isn’t sure how it’s going to come out. “I liked it when you called me babe. Well, maybe not that exact word.” Kara can practically hear Lena’s brow furrow. “But your voice sounded really nice when you said it.”

“I liked it too,” Kara allows, feeling brave. Lena had noticed.

Lena sighs long at that, as if that’s enough said. When she curls on her side closer to Kara and lays a hand on Kara’s stomach without saying another word, Kara realizes that it is. She covers Lena’s hand with her own, earning a pleased murmur.

It doesn’t take long before Lena’s asleep. Kara lies next to her, thinking this might be what bone-deep contentment feels like. She dozes off herself but comes awake with the awareness it’s getting colder by the minute and roof shingles are not the most comfortable surface.

Moving carefully, Kara keeps Lena covered as she gets herself into position. She lifts Lena in one motion and moves to the ladder, leaving everything else until morning. Lena stirs but doesn’t waken, a hum rising from her as she presses into Kara.

Kara does her best to make the slide down the ladder look believable. The house is somewhat shielded from neighbors and it’s dark so she can cheat a little to not jostle the woman in her arms.

When they reach the office upstairs, Kara employs her super speed to set Lena on the couch cushions she removed to get to the pull out. A small frown and disgruntled noise are the sole reactions. 

Kara pulls the bed out and makes it up with what Kelly had left on the office chair. Slipping Lena’s shoes off and leaving the throw, she places her on the bed and draws the sheet and comforter over her, letting a hand linger on Lena’s as she bends to kiss her hair. “Good night.”

Ready to claim her couch in the living room, her turn is halted by Lena’s fingers twisting around hers. “Stay here?”

The request makes Kara’s stomach pitch. It’s different. Not momentous, but maybe significant. They’ve never slept in the same bed together. Before everything, they’d fallen asleep on Kara’s couch together over a dozen times watching movies, most often with legs and feet entangled and often not waking until morning. They’d even gotten in the habit of whoever woke up first on such occasions starting the coffee and they’d share a cup before Lena left if there was time.

But they’ve never gotten to this. This is Lena being vulnerable in a way she hasn’t before and Kara needing to decide how to respond, an opening here for reciprocation.

“Are you sure? I mean…” Kara trails off, uncertain.

“Yes, I’m sure. And I’m in my right mind,” a tired but steady voice informs her. 

“Okay. If you put it that way, how can I refuse?” A little tease creeps into her answer over affection that’s been there for years.

Kara loses her shoes and outerwear and crawls in on the opposite side. Lena immediately curls up to her as she had on the roof. Kara adjusts so she can get an arm slid around her this time. Lena’s exhales at that, her entire body loosening. Kara feels goosebumps form where the burst of air hit her.

“Better?” Kara asks.

“Much. Thank you.”

“Any time.” Kara is proud that she doesn’t tense after that answer because she shouldn’t. She is speaking the truth, and that is what moves them forward.

Barely a minute passes before Lena’s breathing evens out again. Kara revels in the closeness, the smell of Lena’s shampoo, her warmth, and her steady heartbeat filling Kara’s senses until she too is out.

Movement in the house wakes Kara. Finding a clock, she realizes the four of them likely hit some other venues after the game. She can hear Brainy and Nia head for their room downstairs while Kelly and Alex continue up the stairs to theirs.

“Do you think she’s in there?” Alex’s whisper reaches Kara’s ears.

“Yes, and I hope it’s another step towards them figuring it out,” Kelly replies quietly as they close the door to their room. 

Kara adjusts to rest a hand on Lena, who’s shifted away. The rhythmic rise and fall of Lena’s body settles Kara and sleep returns quickly with the happy thought of bringing Lena coffee in bed tomorrow bouncing around in Kara’s head.


End file.
